Modi was last here for the BJP national executive meeting in June, 2010.

There is no love lost between Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and Modi. Kumar has ensured that the Gujarat strongman was kept out of Bihar in the 2005 and 2010 assembly elections as also the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

Kumar was cut up when advertisements appeared in local newspapers during the BJP meet here showing an old photograph of him and Modi holding hands. Kumar had then cancelled a dinner he was to host for BJP leaders.

To show his displeasure, the Bihar chief minister had also returned a cheque of Rs.five crore sent by the Gujarat government as relief for victims of Kosi floods.

Kumar has also made it clear that his JD(U), which is running a coalition government with the help of BJP in the state, will not back Modi as NDA's prime ministerial candidate for the Lok Sabha polls scheduled to be held in 2014.

He has stated that the NDA nominee for the top post should be somebody with "secular credentials".

Kumar, who is also seen as a front runner for the PM's post, has insisted that he was not an aspirant and that he was happy managing Bihar.

Modi pays tribute to Kailashpati Mishra

Modi went to Mishra's residence straight from the Patna airport where he had arrived on a special plane late this afternoon. He stayed at the residence of the departed leader for about 15 minutes before heading back to the airport.